Israel’s Yuval Raphael walks the “turquoise carpet” event officially kicking off the Eurovision Song Contest week in Basel, Switzerland.
Palestinian flags can be seen flying in the crowd and along the procession route, the most visible flag being waved by spectators. This year, Eurovision organizers relaxed their rules on flags at official events, allowing any flag legal under Swiss law — unlike last year, when only flags of participating countries were allowed.
A smattering of boos can be heard as Raphael steps onto the carpet.
Last year, Israel’s contestant Eden Golan skipped the turquoise carpet event due to security concerns as well as its overlap with Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Raphael, a survivor of Hamas attack on the Nova music festival massacre, will perform in the second semifinal on Thursday evening, hoping for a spot in Saturday’s grand final.
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, May 11, 2025
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